Fox World Travel Adds Tina Husemoller as Client Solutions Manager
With an expanding client base, Fox is excited to announce the addition of Tina Husemoller as Client Solutions Manager. Husemoller brings with her over 20 years of travel experience as well as a Masters of Business Administration from Concordia State University.
Magical Celebrations at Walt Disney World
With special limited-time events, it’s a magical time to visit Walt Disney World resort. Check out a festival of flavors at this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, join Donald Duck and his pals for Donald’s Dino-Bash! and get ready for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. And it’s never too early to plan to celebrate the holidays with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Epcot International Festivals of the Holidays.
Alaska Facts and Information
Alaska is unlike any other state. Full of mountains, wildlife and adventure; Alaska is something that everyone should experience. Whether you’re traveling by cruise, land or our Land+Sea Journeys, you’re almost guaranteed to have a great time. But, before you travel somewhere new, it’s nice to know some information about your destination. Keeping reading for Alaska facts and information that may help you on your journey to the last frontier.
The Importance of Supplier Relationships for Travel Programs
Better business travel outcomes with strong supplier relationships
It’s all about who you know, even when it comes to corporate travel solutions. As a travel agency serving business, vacation and meeting and incentive travelers, having trusted supplier relationships with our vendors has a big impact on the customer experience. Here’s how strong supplier relationships can benefit travelers and corporate travel programs.
Follow a South Africa Vacation with Rose Gray
By Rose Gray
Tomorrow, I’ll be leaving on another South Africa vacation with another group of Fox World Travel intrepid travelers. It was exactly one year ago that I was there, and the anticipation and excitement of showing this beautiful country to more of the “Fox Faithful” is building (maybe this will inspire me to start packing). Much of the itinerary is the same, but we are doing something a little different at Victoria Falls. Last year the group stayed at the famous Victoria Falls Hotel, and while it was wonderful, I asked African Travel, the tour operator that helped us craft this customized itinerary, if there was another option that might offer another wildlife experience and they suggested The Elephant Camp. I checked it out online and said YES, this is exactly what I was looking for.
If you’d like to follow Rose on her travels throughout South Africa, follow Fox on Instagram at @foxworldtravel.
Why it’s Time to Embrace Bleisure Travel
More and more corporate travelers are shedding their business attire to hit beaches, shopping centers and theater districts when the work that brought them to their destination is done. It’s all a part of a growing trend called bleisure travel, a combination business and leisure trip that includes an extended leisure stay, often with family or friends. In fact, according to a 2017 Global Business Travel Association study, nearly four in 10 North American business travelers added a leisure leg to their work trip.
Benefits of the bleisure travel trend
Millennials have made this bleisure trend especially popular. More than 3 out of 4 millennial business travelers give themselves personal time on a business trip. Their reasoning? Millennials say that making the most of these trips improves business by offering personal and professional growth
And the good news is that around 57 percent of companies have travel policies that allow for employees to take advantage of the bleisure trend. Is it time to consider incorporating a bleisure policy for your business travelers? Consider these benefits:
Employer cost savings
James Keller, vice president of meetings and incentives at Fox World Travel, says blending business travel with a leisure experience may save money.
“If a return flight is changed from a Friday evening to a Sunday one, for example, the flight may be a couple hundred dollars cheaper,” Keller says. “Airlines tend to charge more for a flight during common corporate times versus leisure travel times.”
So, extending a business trip a few days could cost less.
Employee recruitment and retention
The bleisure trend is also beginning to impact employee recruitment and retention. When recruiting in a competitive market, especially one that targets millennials, offering bleisure trips is considered an added employee benefit. Many prospective employees would love to take advantage of exploring new cities after the work is complete.
Plus, content employees are less likely to search for a new job. That brings down the cost of recruiting and replacing a new employee—oftentimes a figure that is more than double the employee’s annual salary. Encouraging bleisure travel is a win-win!
Employee productivity
Employees who savor time spent on corporate trips return the favor with better and more productive work. In fact, according to a recent bleisure report by BridgeStreet Global Hospitality, 78 percent of employees who add vacation days to their business trip say it betters the work they do while on the road. As travelers unwind and take a break, possibly with a travel companion, they become more creative, engage with your company and lower their stress. Who wouldn’t want to work with these happier, healthier employees?
How can I convince my company to embrace bleisure travel?
If you don’t have a bleisure travel program where you work, start the conversation. You’ll have a strong case when you present travel savings and employee (and company) benefits.
“The worst thing you can do is not ask,” Keller says. “There are some companies who absolutely will not allow it, but many others will be open to learning more about it and possibly even begin offering it.”
Make business trips more enjoyable and productive with bleisure
Fox World Travel’s expertise in business and vacation travel makes us an excellent partner in planning bleisure travel experiences.
“Because we’re so diversified, we have knowledgeable teams that can help on both the corporate and leisure side of things,” Keller says. “We are able to facilitate the planning and cost savings to make sure both company and employee benefit.”
Interested? Our team is ready to talk bleisure travel. Contact us to learn more.
Fox World Travel Recognized by Travel Weekly for Innovation
Travel Agency is a 2018 Gold Award Recipient of Travel Weekly Magellan Award
Fox World Travel (Fox) is honored to announce that it is a recipient of the 2018 Travel Weekly Magellan Award for Innovation. This Gold Award specifically recognizes Fox’s focus on the traveler experience through the development of its innovative Fox Waivers 3i technology.
“Magellan Award winners are those whose exploration of travel’s possibilities ring true and stand out,” states Arnie Weissmann, Sr. Vice President and Editor in Chief of Travel Weekly. “They not only trigger the impulse to escape the ordinary and travel to new worlds, but to assure that promises and delivery are aligned.”
Fox World Travel Hires Jared Bachman as Director of Travel Technology
Fox World Travel is excited to announce the promotion of Jared Bachman to Director of Travel Technology. Bachman brings with him nearly a decade of technology experience as well as four years of experience with Fox. He will continue to utilize his knowledge and expertise to elevate Fox forward in the field of travel technology.
Over his tenure at Fox, Bachman played an integral lead role in many successful travel technology initiatives including the conversion and award-winning adoption of the Travelport Smartpoint GDS operating system and the upgrade of Fox’s mid-office quality control and unused ticket management systems. “We are thrilled to have Jared move into this important leadership position. With his positive, find-a-way attitude, strong work ethic and commitment to service excellence, Fox is excited for the impact Jared will bring,” said Beth Marino, CIO.
Bachman’s new role involves overseeing multiple teams as they continue to work closely with clients to elevate their travel programs through using Fox’s 3i Technology philosophy to develop solutions that are innovative, intuitive and intelligent.
“I look forward to continuing our path of innovation, enhancing our Fox 3i Technology offerings, and working with industry-leading technology partners to continue raising the bar,” Bachman said. “Using our data and integrated technologies, we will continue to empower travelers and their travel managers to achieve a best-in-class travel experience.”
As Director of Technology, Bachman will oversee the Online Technology, Travel Technology and Implementations teams.
Airline Mergers, Alliances, and Joint Ventures: The Differences and Their Impact on Your Corporate Airline Agreement
By: Mike Heck, Director of Supplier Solutions
In today’s rapidly changing airline environment, there seems to be daily news on mergers, alliances and joint ventures. As a corporate travel manager, it is important to understand how these are different, and more importantly, how they might impact a corporate agreement you might have with an airline.
A merger is a combination of two companies where one corporation is completely absorbed by another corporation. The most recent merger in the United States was between Alaska Airlines and Virgin America; Alaska absorbed Virgin America and the Virgin brand is no longer in the marketplace. Virtually overnight, Alaska Airlines became the nation’s 5th largest airline. They will be a major player on the west coast and will compete more effectively with the “Big 3” (Delta, United, American), and Southwest. You will also recall that the “Big 3” airlines of Delta, United, and American are products of their own recent mergers (Delta/Northwest, United/Continental, and American/US Air).
Travel Tips: Vacation Travel Myths vs. Truths
According to a recent survey by Allianz Travel Insurance, over half of America’s population has gone at least a year without a vacation. Here at Fox World Travel, we believe everyone deserves a vacation. There are plenty of travel myths out there, leading people to question taking that much-needed vacation. We’re here to bust those myths.
Travel Myth #1: You can’t afford it — Truth: There is a destination for every budget
With so many destinations, there is a getaway for you. With so many great cities to visit in your own state and around the country, there is always an affordable destination that aligns with your interests. There are even affordable flights to destinations in Europe, such as Iceland! One good tip is to cut back on hotels if you plan to sightsee all day. Why spend a heaping amount of cash on a fancy hotel room, when it just serves as a place to sleep at the end of the day?
Travel Myth #2: Traveling to certain places is intimidating — Truth: Research & proper tools can keep you safe
Safety should always be a priority when traveling. Practice safety by using common sense and proper travel tools that tell you about your location. With smartphones outsmarting people, we can now receive updates on locations before we arrive. Thanks to globalization, we can also read tips from locals before we travel somewhere. A small amount of research really goes a long way in making a destination more enjoyable and safe.
Travel Myth #3: You don’t have time — Truth: Not every vacation needs to take a long time
There will always be something going on in life, but making time for yourself is vital. You deserve that trip to Italy you’ve always wanted to take. There will be no perfect time to leave for two weeks, but you will enjoy it, we promise. Vacations also don’t need to take up weeks of your time; sometimes a long weekend to a new location is enough to refresh yourself and experience a new and exciting way of life.
Travel Myth #4: You don’t have anywhere you want to go — Truth: There is a destination for everyone
You may not know it, but there is a place out there that you will love. Not every trip has to be to a big city either. Sometimes living like a local in a village or camping in the middle of nowhere can be the perfect vacation. There truly is a destination for everyone in the world.
Travel Myth #5: You can’t travel alone — Truth: Traveling alone can be extremely rewarding
Absolutely not true. There are so many different ways to travel with others that sometimes it can be really rewarding going solo on a trip. Whether it’s a cruise full of people that want to have a good time, or an escorted group trip to Ireland that is experiencing the same things you are for the first time, going by yourself can be an eye-opening and memorable decision.
There you have it. There are always reasons not to go on vacation but if you do go, you’re sure to find something you love. If you want to find that perfect vacation for your budget, schedule or travel needs, our travel consultants at Fox look forward to sitting down with you and planning out your next getaway.
Give us a call at 1-888-369-8785 or contact us online to book your next trip.